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Tech & Science homo naledi South Africa Social Media Archaeology Lee Berger has a strange problem for an archaeologist leading an excavation: He can't actually access the site, and will likely never be able to. That's because it's buried in a cave in South Africa, tucked behind a steep-sided ridge nicknamed the Dragon's Back and at the bottom of a 40-foot chute that at one point measures just seven inches wide. To access his target, Berger, a paleoanthropologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, hires cavers slender enough to fit through that seven-inch gap and with excavation experience to uncover the remains of early hominins. But he still wants a glimpse of the site, which in 2015, yielded the bones of an entirely new species of hominin now referred to as Homo naledi. And he expects you do, too—which is why he's also having the excavators bring a host of technology, from 3D cameras to Wi-Fi, into the chambers. That … [Read more...] about Explore the cave where Homo naledi was discovered in live broadcasts

Zao Onsen, Japan (CNN) — As the cable car glides up the mountain in Japan's Yamagata prefecture, the snow-covered fir trees below begin to transform, taking on a bulkier appearance as their green coats disappear under a mass of white. Soon they become unrecognizable, completely engulfed in fluffy piles of snow. The volume in the car increases a few decibels. Passengers excitedly raise their voices, snowboards and skis scraping across the floor as riders shuffle to move into better viewing positions to take in the incredible landscape below. It's a common reaction among those first encountering the legendary "snow monsters" of Zao Onsen -- or "juhyo" in Japanese. The excitement intensifies when passengers exit the tram and set out to explore the mysterious figures up close -- some on foot, others clutching their riding gear, ready to glide through the monsters as they make their way down the mountain. Do you want to build a snowman, Tim? The juhyo … [Read more...] about Exploring Japan’s spectacular ‘snow monsters’

It’s been a busy start to the year for the people who plan and schedule South by Southwest. Just in the past few weeks, they’ve added a handful of panels to an already full food track. As in years’ past, this year’s food panels and speakers cover everything from food media and restaurants to technology in agriculture and food innovation.José Andrés has become an outspoken critic of the Trump administration, but he also became internationally known for his relief effort in Puerto Rico after last year’s hurricane. Contributed by Seth Browarnik via The New York Times. José Andrés will join frequent SXSW speaker Andrew Zimmern to talk about his latest work in Puerto Rico, and Food Network mega star Tyler Florence will lead two panels, one about celebrity chefs and another about food technology. RELATED: Explore all our SXSW coverage here Iron Chef Cat Cora, OpenTable CEO Christa Quarles, former Food & Wine editor-in-chief Dana Cowin, … [Read more...] about Explore the growing list of South by Southwest food panels, speakers

The Spanish and Portuguese colonized Central and South America in the 1500s and 1600s, almost obliterating the indigenous people through warfare and disease.But the colonizers didn’t kill the culture of the people.The Chrysler Museum of Art’s spring keynote show highlights that confluence of cultures in the exhibition “Highest Heaven: Spanish and Portuguese Colonial Art from the Collection of Roberta and Richard Huber.” It includes more than 100 pieces that show the distinctive art that emerged from the religion and cultures of the Iberian Peninsula, which includes Spain and Portugal, and the aesthetic and craftmanship that existed in Central and South America.The Chrysler is also catering the exhibit and its programming to local Spanish-speaking audiences. Several gallery tours will be done in Spanish, and labels for the exhibition will be in both English and Spanish. Information will also be available in Portuguese.Beatriz Amberman, a member of the Virginia … [Read more...] about New Chrysler Museum exhibition explores European colonization in Central and South America and the art that arose from it

African-American cooking is more than just soul food. That’s the message JJ Johnson and Alexander Smalls want to get across in their new cookbook, “Between Harlem and Heaven” (out Feb. 6, $37.50, Flatiron Books). “It’s so two-dimensional when you start to talk about African-American food, besides to throw it in a category of Southern food or soul food and keep going,” said restaurateur Smalls. With “Between Harlem and Heaven,” the chefs want to continue a conversation they started when Smalls opened The Cecil, which focused on Afro-Asian-American cuisine, and next-door jazz club Minton’s in 2013, with Johnson helming the kitchens at both Harlem restaurants. Upon opening, The Cecil made scores of best new restaurant lists, and Johnson got a James Beard Award nomination. Since then, Johnson has left his post as executive chef, and The Cecil has been retooled as The Cecil Steakhouse. But its influence lives on in “Between Harlem … [Read more...] about Harlem chefs explore fusion cooking in new book